A Lot of Gains from an Easy A by Lauren

A Lot of Gains from an Easy A by Lauren - September 2017 Scholarship Essay

I did not put a lot of thought into signing up for my sophomore year classes. I took about five minutes to decide which courses I would take, and without really thinking about my future. I thought an easy class that I could sign up for was building trades, so just like that I checked the box. I was enrolled in that class and sure enough it was simple. There was no homework, very limited thinking, and extra time to visit. After the first couple days I was sure I would just breeze through the semester. Even though it was not exceedingly difficult, I did stumble across some insight that will prove to be useful for my future dream job of elementary education.
I enjoy teaching and helping my peers, so I decided I want to become a teacher. I have also taught children in summer programs, which has reaffirmed my decision. Before the building trades class, I was about average at explaining. I was able to get the message across, but not always in the most efficient way possible. I would use words outside of my peers’ vocabulary, or I would have a large explanation that just ended up being confusing. After building trades I learned how to explain concepts more effectively, because I experienced explanations from the other side.
Throughout most of my schooling career, I understood almost everything with a simple lecture. That changed when I got to building trades. I did not know all of the tool names, or how to find every angle that needed to be cut. There were many times that I was completely confused, but the teacher was excellent, and would explain how to build what was necessary in a different way so I could understand. Now I know how I have to explain things differently to help others understand a concept.
I easily passed Building Trades with an A, but I gained some important experiences that will help me in a future career. When I become a teacher I will have a better background to help explain concepts and ideas to student who are struggling to understand. So, with this new found insight, I might take more time when scheduling my future classes. I will not be afraid to sign up for classes that seem out of my comfort zone.